Firestorm Ann
by Fortune Cookie Wisdom
Summary: Ann never thought keeping the pledge she made to the scrawny little kid at Partys Bar would be so hard. Despite what her instincts are telling her, it seems like the world is conspiring against her. But, the Will of D. was nothing if not resilient. (OC/DF-Ace's Twin)
1. Setting Fire To Yesterday

Summary: Ann never thought keeping the pledge she made to the scrawny little kid at Partys Bar would be so hard. Despite what her instincts are telling her, it seems like the world is conspiring against her. But, the Will of D. was nothing if not resilient. (OC/DF-Ace's twin sister)

Disclaimer: I'm not a Japanese man by the name of Eiichiro Oda. I own Ann, not that she would ever agree with this statement.

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Ann gives her brother a deadpan look in the useless hope he regains control of his brain. She was not playing bait so he could hunt the monstrously large boar.

"Ace, you're out of your mind if you think I would stand in front of a charging boar and hope you're able to knock it out. Why don't you stand there and look pretty while I stab it?" The sour look he sends her is enough to tell her that it would be a cold day in hell before that happened. Ann shoots a large grin at her brother and snickers at his pouty face.

"Yeah, but I'm stronger! I would be able to protect you! You're not skilled enough to protect me!" Ann's eye twitches in irritation. She clenches her fist and jumps down from her perch in the tall tree of the clearing, straight on top of her twin brother.

"You wanna say that to my face, idiot boy?!" Ann shouts as she straddles his back, pushing his face into the dirt. Ace glares back at her over his shoulder, teeth gritted and pipe clutched in his fist.

"I'm stronger than you!" He shouts, face red from his boiling anger for even questioning his strength. Ace flips her over and they start wrestling in earnest. In Ann's opinion there were two types of twins in the world. The ones that are the best of friends and the ones that are at each other's throats constantly. She was of the firm belief that she and Ace fell into the latter category, but with the rare times they joined forces they were a holy terror to behold. At least that's what Dadan told Garp.

They were constantly baiting each other and pushing each other that much further every day. They knew the score. Life wasn't fair, and their father was a shit head that conquered the Grand Line. That meant that they had giant red targets on their backs and if they wanted to survive they needed to be stronger.

"You should listen to your older brother!" Ace shouts as he grabs her in a headlock. Ann grasps at his arms and flips him over her back.

Neither of them knew who was the older twin- Ace just said he was older first. Ann couldn't say otherwise without getting into a brawl with her brother. Eventually, she just let him keep the title.

That was one of her worst mistakes.

Her brother was insufferable about it. He had this weird belief that because he was older by however many minutes or hours that he was stronger. Which was nonsense in Ann's not so insignificant opinion. If he wanted to be stronger he would have to prove it everyday for the rest of his life, because Ann would always be there challenging him. Pinning him to the forest floor he spits in her face. Letting out a disgusted scoff she wipes it away with her shirt.

"It doesn't matter if you're older, idiot boy!" Ann shouts as she looks down on him and tugs at his cheeks. "I'll never let you beat me!" Ann growls when he gets loose of her hold and starts to tug on her nose.

"What are you talking about, stupid girl! I kicked your butt yesterday! I was still standing and you were face down in the dirt! I won!" Ann smooshes Ace's cheeks together so he makes a weird fish face. Ann is inclined to believe that makes him look remarkably better than his regular smug face.

"Lies! I was still crawling! That means my face didn't hit the ground! So, it was a draw if anything!" Ace pulls her ears out and she's sure she looks quite odd, but can't bring herself to care at the moment. She has an argument to win.

"Only a loser would focus on something so small! You lost, Ann! Face it like a man!" There was going to be some hair pulling and biting if he didn't get it through his thick head that she didn't lose.

"But, I'm not a man! That makes no sense! Make some sense, Baka!" Ann grinds her knuckles into Ace's head. The squawking is the best thing that's come out of his mouth all day. Her victory is short lived when he flips her and sits on her back and shoves her face into the leaf strewn ground.

"There, stupid girl! Are you happy? Your face down and touching dirt! Now be the bait so we can eat! Dadan is going to start complaining if we're not home with the food soon." Ann huffs and bucks him off to stretch her arms over her head. Like hell she would ever admit defeat! But she can put off fighting with Ace long enough to make him get her food.

"Yosh! Food sounds really good! Hurry up and get me food." The large bead of sweat forming on Ace's brow catches Ann's eye and she tilts her head to the side. She wonders if her brother is okay. They might fight every other second of the day, but it didn't mean she didn't care for the little idiot.

"Your attitude switches so fast," Ace quietly mutters under his breath. Ann presses her nose in close to his face and Ace startles at the sight of her so near.

"Mm, you should get that mumbling thing you do fixed. It's kind of irritating." Ann smiles and leans away. Her brother is turning red again and she loves that she can provoke such a response with such a small action.

"Respect my space, stupid girl! If anyone is irritating, it's you! How did you get so weird?! Where did I go wrong with you?!" Ann shoves a finger up her nose as Ace rants. Her nose was itchy and there was only one way to itch it. Ann can feel her eyes glaze over as she thinks about other less boring things than her brother throwing a hissy fit.

"Are you even listening to me?!" Ann pulls her finger from her nose and flicks it at Ace. His face turns a bright purplish red color and starts running after her. All she can do is laugh. She likes it when Ace is this full of life and fire. He had been broody the last couple of days because of their fifth birthday coming and going.

She couldn't blame him, she was feeling gloomy as well. It didn't help when they were walking through the dredges of Gray Terminal and heard people talking about their father.

This time they were subject to the slaughter of the women of Baterilla. It made her feel queasy at the thought of the World Government committing genocide to get to one woman. Ace was blaming himself and was questioning whether or not he deserved to live when so many others didn't have the chance because of him.

Ann told him that he was being stupid when he asked if he should be alive. Ace had yelled at her and stopped talking to her for a few days. Ann hated it when he did that, she felt lost and alone when her brother wasn't at her side, always ready to fight and bicker with her. It kept her mind off of sad things. Ann, though, really did think that Ace was being stupid, of course he should be alive, he was her brother. He was the thing that made Ann, well...Ann. It was never just Ace or Ann. It was Ann and Ace, the twins, the pair of annoying fuckers, as Dadan liked to put it when she was feeling especially mean.

"Get back here you little brat! I'll show you where exactly your boogers belong!" Ann lets out a loud giggle as she starts speeding up. She should have known that her brother wouldn't let her dwell too long on the serious stuff. Ann knew he would eventually catch up to her and then probably shove her face into a pile of mud just to be a jerk. But for the moment she was just glad to see him more lively.

The day they met Sabo was an odd day. Dadan had told them to get lost and fight somewhere else. Ann and Ace were feeling somewhat compliant so they did as they were told. They had somehow made their way to Gray Terminal and were wandering around when they found a young boy attacking a group of men with a pipe and stealing their wallets. Ann could only grin at the sight, something inside her told her that this boy would be special to them. She could see that Ace felt the same way with the wide smirk that decorated his face.

"Sheecheecheechee, whadda ya say Ace? Think we should keep him?" Ann places her hands on her hips and looks at the boy. Confused blue eyes peered at her from under a wide brimmed hat. He was studying her, trying to gage her threat level if she decided to attack him. That told her enough about the life he lived that this was his automatic reaction. She could tell he was all alone and had no one to watch his back. He needed someone and Ann and Ace could be people who could help him carry whatever burden he carried.

A movement out of the corner of her eye shows that one of the down men pulled out a gun and cocks it. But she knows Ace is already on it and smashes the man on the head with the pipe he had been carrying around with him like he always did when they wandered into Gray Terminal. Ann frowned at the man, pretty irritated that he tried to shoot her new friend. She just knew that Sabo was going to be something important. Everything in her body told her so, and that feeling had never let her down before, she doubted it would start to now.

"You should always make sure they're knocked out before becoming distracted. He could have shot you when you had your back turned. I can't have my new friend getting hurt, that just wouldn't be any fun. You're going to be all types of interesting, aren't you?" Ann questions as she stares intently at the boy. Hat boy's jaw drops along with his pipe to the ground at her statement.

Ace looks up from the downed man and makes eye contact with her. He looks at her curiously waiting for her to expand. He knew that she sometimes had flashes of intuition that told her things that wasn't often seen by others. Ace had seen it before when their shitty gramps had thrown them into a horde of baboons and she managed to communicate with them and make friends with them.

It was one of the only times that he had seen shitty gramps look terrified. He demanded that she never do whatever she did again. Ann had been completely confused, which was really easy to do with her. But Ace knew better than to just let something as useful as communicating with animals to go to waste. He told her to do whatever the hell it was that she did but to keep it quiet. It wasn't until just a few months ago that they heard that their father had the same ability.

They both decided that she ignore that ability for the moment at least until she was strong enough to have the ability, or strong enough for people to know that she was the daughter of the pirate king. Which they both realized might be never. Ann struggled with all of it, she hated denying such a vital part of herself. For all that she exaggerated she was entirely too straightforward for her own good. Blunt to the point that it actually hurt sometimes.

Lying about herself was like lying to herself. Which she could never do.

"I don't know much more than he's important. I am trying to avoid using the power Gramps warned me about. But this just kind of slipped though, sorry." Ann ruffled the back of her short black hair and scrunched up her nose. Ace nods and starts poking the boy in the back with his pipe.

"Come on then, you heard the brat…" Ann is indignant about the slandering of her character and makes sure to let them know just how much she agrees with the name.

"Who you calling brat?!" Ace completely ignores her which is _rude_.

"Ann is many things, but she's never once been wrong about her feelings. So get going, Baka"

"Who are you crazy people?!" The blond boy screams as Ace starts pushing the boy toward Ann. Quirking her head to the side and smiles widely as she lets her pipe rest on her shoulder. She pulls her hand out of her red corduroy shorts and points to herself.

"I'm Portgas D. Ann! The short kid behind you is Ace. Between you and me, he's a bit slow." Ann makes no attempt to lower her voice. She also ignores the growing red color of Ace. The smug smile she sends him causes his anger to build even higher until he drops his pipe and goes to strangle his twin.

Ann immediately goes a blotchy red due to lack of oxygen. She slams her fist down on Ace's head causing a huge lump to bloom. Ann is left rubbing her throat and Ace is left holding the lump on his head. Ann is ready to give him another good thump, but is distracted by a hand blocking her path. She looks up and sees that it's top hat kid and he's holding Ace back as well.

"That's enough, guys. You're siblings. You shouldn't hurt each other." Ann narrows her eyes and huffs. She supposes he's right.

"Ace started it!" Ann states this and Ace is quick to protest.

"What are you talking about, you brat!? You started it! You always start it, idiot girl!" Ace shouts and tries lunging at her when she sticks her tongue out at him. Top hat ignores her as he holds Ace back.

Blondie lets out a pained sigh as he eventually decides to throw Ace on the ground and sit on his back to keep him from attacking Ann.

"You two are going to be a handful, aren't you?" Both Ann and Ace give him a weird look. Curly hair slams a palm to his face and gets off Ace to start muttering to himself.

"Idiots, the both of you!" Both brother and sister look at the other kid, then look at each other, and shrug before shoving a pinky finger up their nose. The loud sigh that top hat lets loose has them squinting as if trying to figure out a particularly hard math problem.

"I can already tell this is going to be the worst mistake of my life!" Curly seems exasperated and holds a hand to his head. Ann pulls the finger from her nose and flicks whatever came out on to Ace, Ace returns the gesture in kind at the exact same time.

"You're kind of entertaining…Come on toothless, we need some cash. The only way we're gonna get it is if we steal it. So, let's get to cracking some heads." Ann announces as she grabs his hand ignoring that it was the same hand that was shoved up her nose not even ten seconds ago. Ace laughs at the disgusted face top hat makes.

"My name is Sabo, by the way." Ann stops for a second and squints.

"Sure you are, Curly." Ann smirks and continues on her path through the large trash piles that dominate Grey Terminal. The snicker that Ace lets loose has Sabo glaring at him.

It was the start of a beautiful friendship.

—

Ann's not sure how she made it all the way to Foosha Village, but she is still pretty steamed at Sabo and Ace excluding her because she was a girl. When had she ever acted like a girl? Sure, Dadan had told her that she had different body parts than boys, but what did that matter when she wanted to go crocodile hunting? Being a girl had nothing to do with that! But, she wasn't going to shove herself on her brother if he didn't want her there. It just really disappointed her that he was being so stupid.

Walking down the village path she kicked a rock in aggravation. Grumbling about stupid boys and making some plans so the giant squirrels stole Ace's pants again. She would just need peanut butter right? That was made out of nuts, and squirrels did like nuts. But the question was did they like peanuts or only acorns...The mysteries of life.

Ann is pulled out of her thoughts by loud cheers and laughter. A smile curls at her lips, a party! That was sure to cheer Ann up a bit! Running toward the nearest pub she walks in and sees that it is full of men laughing and urging each other on to drink more. People were slapping each other on their backs in friendly greetings and they were lightly jeering at each other. The first thing she realized is that it was so much more different than anything she had been to in Gray Terminal, High Town, or Edge Town. Partys Bar was cozy with smiling and welcoming faces.

A loud slurring voice spoke out over the crowd yelling, "To Luffy and our great journey!" A rowdy cheer broke out as people tipped back their drinks. Ann was sure at the rate the men were consuming alcohol that the bar would soon run dry. Out of the corner of her eye she spots a shrimpy looking kid standing up on one of the bar stools yelling at a man in a straw hat.

"As if you could ever be a pirate! It's a fatal flaw for a pirate to be an anchor!" The red-haired man laughs as the kid gets more riled up at the uncaring attitude. Ann smiles as a warm feeling swirls in her stomach. It's close to the one that she felt when she first met Sabo, but so much more encompassing. It draws her in like the sea does a pirate. It speaks of home, family, and nakama. But, she's not sure if it comes from the shrimpy kid or the red-haired man. Biting her lip she focuses on their conversation if she could get any more information on the situation.

"I'll be okay as long as I don't fall out of the ship! And I'm good at fighting too! I'm well-trained so my punches are like pistols!" The kid standing on the bar stool contests this fiercely while punching his arms out. Not even attempting to put his hips into the movement. She learned that lesson fast with Ace. Little jerk really knew how to punch, the worst was when he actually got a hit into her stomach. Ann hides her amusement as she watches the boy squawk around the pirate. Letting her pipe rest on her shoulder she watches the interaction between the two. They were obviously fond of each other for all that they argued.

"Pistols? Oh, really?" The man's tone tells her he is entirely unconvinced, but he adds insult to injury when he gives the kid a bored look and rests his chin on the fist of his hand. The action riles the boy up even more and the kid starts to get even more animated as he tries to argue.

"What's that mean?" The kid shouts as he gets in the man's face enraged at the slight to his prowess. Ann notices that his fists were at his sides and were shaking in passion and anger. In some ways he reminds her of her twin but less polished. A lot of people would find his shifting moods irritating, but all she can see is a diamond in the rough waiting for someone to help him along. Like a brother or a sister, but at the same time not. Ann has never gotten such conflicting information when studying someone. It fascinates her and she wants to know more.

"Luffy! You're in such a bad mood!" Ann darts her gaze over to a man in the middle of the bar to see that he's the reason for the yelling. He certainly looks ragged enough to be a pirate. While he shouts over at a Luffy, he jumps on his friends in a rough hug. His booze was tipping dangerously in his mug as he cackles with his equally drunk friends.

"Have fun at whatever you're doing!" A blond man with a headband declaring him as Yasopp yells over the rowdy crowd agreeing with the previous man. He starts laughing and hanging off the arms of his friends as well. A cheerful smile on his face as he gulps down his beer and ignores the punch aimed at his shoulder by a guy next to him.

"Yes! Being a pirate is fun!" A larger man in green cheers along in agreement with his fellow pirates. Throwing an arm around the guy next to him in brotherly affection.

"The sea is broad and vast!" The man next to the larger green man agrees. Smiling as they bump shoulders together. Ann notices that two teeth on the left side of his mouth are missing, and briefly wonders how he lost them.

"We're traveling to various islands!" The man with a orange bandanna encourages as he joins line the two men hanging off each other's shoulders are making. Spilling his drink in the process.

"Above all, we're free!" Another nameless man shouts with something akin to bliss. Ann feels a tightening in her stomach and chest at the thought…Free?

Ann would never admit it to her twin, but sometimes she wanted to be that free. Not always hiding her heritage and free to make strong friends and comrades outside of the bandits that occupied Mt. Colubo. She's sure her twin feels the same and that's why he constantly spends time with Sabo and not Ann. Somewhere inside of him she knows she reminds him of the past that dogs their steps every day. It hurts of course, but she can understand, because sometimes she feels the same way about him. But she doesn't have the same type of friendship he has with Sabo. Of course they're friends, but she doesn't share the type of brotherhood they've created. Sometimes it makes her feel jealous, and she hates that feeling the most. She wants to be happy for her brother, but sometimes she feels so alone despite having a brother in the same situation.

"Guys, don't teach him such silly stuff." The red-head pirate chides breaking Ann of her thoughts. She watches as he looks over his shoulder at the bar to the rowdy crew. She can only assume that he is the captain of the crew. But, it makes sense when she thinks about it logically.

"But it's true! Right?!" Luffy looked like he had stars in his eyes as he listened to the men in the bar, and Ann has to smile at the little dork. Making a snap decision she adjusts her pipe on her shoulder she makes her way over to the bar. It was time to figure out who had her instincts tingly and why. Ann over hears the men get even more boisterous and they laugh and rough house.

"Boss, why not take him on just one voyage?" A man calls from across the bar with a teasing smile on his face.

"I thinks so too!" Another calls out, laughing drunkenly as he takes another sip of his grog. Oblivious to the captains irritation at pushing him to bring along a kid younger than herself on a ship that probably transverses the Grand Line if the amount of men in the bar was anything to go by, as well as the weaponry, and muscle they were packing.

"Then, somebody, trade places with Luffy." The red-haired man tells his crew lightly, not doing anything to hide the underlining threat if they continued to encourage the kid on more. Continuing her walk to the front of the bar she watches as the men consider this and quickly change the topic.

"Okay, we're done talking! Let's drink!" The crowd cheers and Ann lets out a light laugh as she watches the grown men start acting like unruly toddlers as they start rough housing again with even more passion and excitement.

"Didn't you side with me?!" The boy, who she now realizes is Luffy demands from the crew as they ignore him, probably not wanting to give up their place on a crew or to anger their captain. Not that she can blame them, the red-haired man seemed like good captain material if the feeling she was getting was anything to go by.

"In short, you're too much of a kid. I'll consider it when you're 10 years older!" The red-haired man tells Luffy kindly as he ruffles his hair. Shanks turns back to the counter and starts staring at the barmaid.

"Stupid Shanks! I'm not a kid!" Luffy yells at the captain, who she now realizes is Shanks.

It takes a moment for the name to register. Ann freezes as the information hits her like a lunging crocodile. She pauses in her footsteps, ignoring that she causes a couple of men to fall face first to the dirty bar floor with her sudden halt. All she can do is stare at the red-headed man. Red-Haired Shanks…She remembered that name.

The bandits on Mt. Colubo always left old stuff laying around, not bothering to clean. No doubt hoping that one day the stuff would magically disappear and the room would clean itself. At least that's what she assumed was the case. She remembered looking for something to do while Sabo and Ace messed around outside, excluding her once again. Shanks was a former cabin boy of the Roger Pirates along with Buggy. Her heart clenches and her hand tightens on the pipe that was in her hand. But she is no coward, and no amount of fear or uncertainty is going to stop her. Steeling herself she walks up to the captain.

"Now, Now. Don't get so mad. Have some juice!" Shanks offers the kid. Ann isn't sure how to feel at the gesture. She feels angry, sad, lost, and lonely. Why would her father's crew just ignore his children. Did no one know that he had kids? All she wants at this moment is her twin to be her backup. Because they always had each other's backs. But he was too busy with Sabo at the moment and this could be her only chance to get to know some of her father's crew. Perhaps some information would help Ace get it through his head that he deserved to live. Gramps answer was a shitty one, that only Ace could decide it. Well, he was wrong, Ann had decided it long before Gramps ever had any say in the matter.

"Wow, thanks!" Luffy cheers up considerably as he takes the drink from the captain. Ann was closing in on her target and her hands were sweating in nervousness. She felt like she was being watched and looked over her shoulders to see a man with dark eyes and black hair watching her as she approached Shanks. Pursing her lips she ignores the man, she wanted some answers and no one was going to stop her. But, she knew she couldn't out right say that she was Roger's kid in a loaded bar. No matter the crew. Ann was mostly optionally oblivious, not stupid. Despite what Ace would have you believe.

"See, you are a kid! Ha!" The man laughs at the boy. Luffy scowls and drinks the rest of the drink. Ann gulps down her dry spit and cringes at the feel. She hated feeling nervous. It wasn't in her nature to be that way. But she supposed this was kind of a big deal and what not.

"That wasn't fair, Shanks! I'm tired now." He screams as he gets up from the stool. Ann takes this small amount of time to take a seat next to Shanks. Ann lets her pipe rest between her legs as she sits on the stool. As she looks around the bar she notices a small treasure chest sitting on the countertop next to Shanks. As curious as she was, she ignored it for the time being, more interested in the man.

"'Scuse me, could I get some apple juice." Ann asks the barmaid behind the counter catching the attention of the red-haired man beside her and the barmaid. Ann turned her head and smiled brightly at the man in the straw hat.

"How's it going, old man? That's a pretty neat scar you got there! Where'd it come from?" Ann babbles. She's not lying either, it was a pretty awesome scar! She wondered if she would have a cool scar like that one day. She of course was going to be a kickass pirate and no idiot brothers were going to tell her otherwise.

Shanks slowly chews his food and swallows it as he looks at her face. Feeling awkward and that perhaps she made a mistake when he doesn't respond, Ann wiggles uncomfortably in her chair and wishes again that her brother was there. The barmaid sets the juice in front of her and Ann smiles and slaps down the necessary money. Moving to get up and away from the piercing gaze, she stops as soon as he starts speaking.

"You know, it's more polite to tell someone your name before asking such questions." Shanks tells her after swallowing another gulp of his drink. Ann grins wide before rubbing her index finger underneath her nose.

"Man, how boring are you! But I suppose I could tell you! I'm Portgas D. Ann!" She points to herself with her thumb and smiles. Because, in her experience, a smile usually makes everything better. The choking sound he makes has her laughing. She slaps his back in a halfhearted attempt to clear what ever he has stuck.

"You're kind of weird aren't you? Shicheecheechee. That's cool my idiot brother is really weird too, won't even let me play with him and Sabo anymore. Which is really uncool, you know. Just cause I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't kick is butt from here to High Town! Trust me, I'm the better twin!" The drink that he was trying to clear his throat with is promptly spit all down her front. Ann takes a step back in shock before looking down, then looking back up at the offender. She glares over at the pirate and lunges.

Making rash decisions was in Ann's nature, that's why she doesn't even hesitate slamming her fist over the man's head.

"Baka! You know clothes don't grow on trees. I had to steal from like six people just to get this outfit! Watch where you spit, old man!" Ann shouts as she points down to her wet, wrinkly black and white stripped sleeveless hoodie as well as her favorite red corduroy shorts.

The people surrounding the bar go extremely quiet before bursting into outrageous laughter. Shanks laughs as well before mussing up her hair. Which causes Ann's eye to twitch in agitation. Whacking his hands away, Ann goes to fix the ponytail she usually kept her bangs in to keep them out of her eyes. Glaring fixedly at the now enemy pirate. The smug smile makes her feel violent urges, sort of like how Ace's mere presence does sometimes. It's annoying.

"As soon as I turn 17, you're a dead man. 'Cause I'm going to kick your butt all the way down the Grand Line. You hear me Red-Haired Shanks! Yonko or not, your butt is mine!" A loud "Ohh," echoes through the bar at Ann's announcement. Ignoring the group of men, why she thought these idiots would be any different to her idiot brothers was a mystery. She grabs her juice to leave, but is stopped by the nice barmaid whose smiles just make Ann feel weirdly happy. Ann isn't really use to nice people. Having grown up around mountain bandits it was kind of expected she supposed. But Ann has a feeling that was the way someone like a mother would smile.

"Now, now. Let's everyone calm down. Ann, was it? She has every right to be mad, Shanks ruined her very nice shirt. How about you stay a while and have some food. You're Dadan-san's ward are you not?" Ann blushes and nods. The barmaid smiles even brighter as she completely ignores Shanks morose state that has everyone backing away.

"I'm Makino. Garp-san has mention the two of you a time or two. You're welcome to spend some time here if you would like." Makino offers kindly. Ann bites her lip to keep from smiling. In her experience no one was ever nice to her, not even her brother most of the time. There had to be a catch, right?

Shanks doesn't give her time to answer before he picks her up and sets her back down in the seat, seeming to snap out of the mood he was in not even a minute ago. Ann scowls before smacking his hands away.

"Try that again one more time old man, and I'm going to have to get rough with you!" Shanks seems to think this was the greatest joke he's heard all day and starts to laugh hysterically. Ann pouts and looks away over to Luffy talking to an older man.

"Luffy, you gotta try to understand how Boss feels." The man with long black hair starts to tell him as he takes a sip of his drink and sets it down on the empty table.

"First Mate!" Luffy exclaims as he looks over at the man who was starting to light a cigarette. So, this was Shank's first mate, huh… He looked pretty big. Like way bigger than any crocodile that she's ever faced. Ann would have to get much stronger before she even had a chance of kicking Shank's butt. Pouting even more she turns back to the bar to see said man looking at her from the corner of his eye.

Ann glares and watches him twitch slightly, and it causes her to smile widely. Which in turn causes Shanks to lean away slightly. Ann laughs out loud at the silly behavior. If she was back with the bandits they would have already tried to hit her back. Tuning back in to hear Luffy's conversation with the first mate, she makes herself comfortable as she lays her chin on her hands.

"There's no denying that he's the head of a pirate group. He knows how tough and dangerous being a pirate is more than anybody. Don't you see? It's not like he wants to break your spirit."

"No, I don't! Shanks is just making fun of me!" Luffy clenches his teeth in aggravation. She can tell that Shanks is doing that exact thing from the smile tugging at the man's lips as he turns around to stare at Luffy to make giggling noises behind his hand.

"Anchor!" The older man giggles to Makino. The barmaid just shakes her head at his antics, but for the most part enjoys them as she smiles fondly.

"See he's just making fun of me!" Luffy yells over the crowded room.

"I guess you're having fun as usual." The barmaid asks as she cleans the glasses behind the bar.

"Yeah, I like teasing him." Shanks admits as he laughs.

"Luffy, do you wanna eat something too?" Makino asks as she starts plating food. Ann drools at the delicious looking meal. She briefly wonders how she's going to pay for it, because Makino-san deserved more than a dine and dash.

"Uh-huh! Put it on my treasure tab!" Luffy smiles as runs toward the bar. Ann smirks and nods seeing a way to pay Makino back without having to feel bad about not having the money on her at the moment.

"Yes, Makino-san please put mine on Luffy's tab as well!" Ann announces grandiosely as the plate is put in front of her. Makino quirks an eyebrow at her and she blushes before looking down. Shanks laughs next to her patting her on the back.

"The treasure tab again? That's fraud, you know?" Shanks asks as he leans on the bar.

"No, it's not! Once I become a pirate and find a treasure, I'll pay for it!" Luffy denies as he picks up his fork and knife from the bar. Then he turns to Ann and glares.

"And you! Pay for your own meat, mooch!" Ann rolls her eyes as she picks up the fork and digs into her meal. Hoping to distract herself from the powerful emotions building inside of her. The feelings inside of her are a maelstrom of right, right, right, and family, nakama, hope, and a future filled with loving people and adventure. Her instincts are screaming at her that this scrawny kid would be someone someday and that she should be along for the ride. This kid was a game changer and the only person that could help her be as free as she wanted.

"Why, if you're gonna be a pirate captain your gonna need a crew. As a crew we share the burden of the cost of food." Luffy pauses before his eyes widen. The smile he has is so wide and bright it make something inside her relax. The feelings in her gut calm and something just clicks into place with that smile. She felt like she was home and had a family, besides her surly brother, and Sabo. This was different, this smile was for her. She knew her brother would never be a subordinate and that she was making her own strides toward being an individual. That she wouldn't be walking the same path as him. But, she knows deep inside that she would never be subordinate to Ace. She could never be on a crew with her brother as a captain because she couldn't stand the thought of being bossed around by him. The kid before her had a lot of growing to do before she took any orders from him but she wanted a place on his crew. She was putting her faith in a shrimpy looking child, but she couldn't find it in herself to regret it even once. Ann is drawn out of her thoughts as Luffy stands back up on the barstool to point at Shanks.

"See that Shanks! I already have my first crew mate! Now you have to take me along! So I know how to be a true captain!" Luffy looked like he won the lottery. Shanks eyes Ann speculatively as if trying to find the reason behind such a bold declaration. She wouldn't admit it was because of the power Gramps told her not to mess with. But the feelings were screaming at her not to let this opportunity pass. It was like having a home, a family, and another brother even if he was younger and a bit of a moron. Ann always followed her instincts, they never led her astray, and she doubted that they would start now.

"Nope, do you even know her name? Of her talents? Or where she would fit on a crew?" Shanks asks as he piles food into his mouth. Luffy pauses for a bit before looking at Ann.

Rolling her eyes at the little dork she reaches around Shanks and pats him on his fluffy head.

"No worries, we'll figure the rest out later." Ann reassures him before going back to her meal.

Luffy laughs and digs into his food they eat in semi-silence. But the rowdy crew mates are still making loud calls and cheers.

"Shanks" Luffy asks finally. Ann looks up to see that the kid is eating with his mouth wide open and a shiver of disgust crawls through her. She likes meat as much as the next guy, but at least chew it before speaking.

"What?" Shanks asks as he continues to eat his meal.

"How much longer are you going to stay in this village?" Luffy asks not bothering to close his mouth as he gnaws at his meat. Ann adverts her eyes and makes a note to fix that when they have more time together.

"Let's see…We're gonna go on a couple of voyages, then leave this village and head north." Shanks explains to Luffy as they all continue to eat. Ann stays quiet, she's not really sure what to say. This was a dynamic that was already in place and she was intruding a bit. Not that she really minded. But she knew male bonding time when she saw it. She also knew better than to interfere least she be ignored like her brother was doing at the moment.

"A couple of voyages, huh?" Luffy asks as he chews his food. "I'll practice swimming while you're here!" Luffy announces in excitement. Ann makes a note to watch the kid to make sure he doesn't drown or something. Because that would be pretty bad if her new captain drowned.

"That's good, knock yourself out." Shanks tone lets him know how much he doesn't care. Ann kicks him under the stool. He looks at her and she glares. Red-hair glares right back. Being as childish as she could she sticks her tongue out at him. The offended look he gives her makes her giggle.

The door is then promptly kicked in causing a silence to encompass the entire bar.

"Pardon us. So these are "pirates." Look pretty damn dumb." The leader of the gang announces. The silence stretches on and unnoticed to all Luffy is chewing on one of the fruits from the chest the pirates had brought with them. Watching the action happening in front of him.

Ann is a little irritated that the shrimp is getting all the yummy looking food, and decides that she wants the red swirly pear fruit right next to the purple fruit. Luffy goes to pick up the pear fruit, but Ann snatches it with the practice of a thousand times of stealing off of Ace's plate. The confused scowl has Ann smirking as she takes a victory bite from the fruit. She promptly gags and sticks her tongue out at the taste, yeah… no food should taste that nasty.

Ann scowls and rubs at her tongue with the inside of her shirt. Missing when the bandits stroll up to the bar.

"We're mountain bandits. But we ain't here to tear up the place. Sell us some booze." Ann narrows her eyes at the man. She knew every last bandit on Mt. Colubo and this man she had never seen. This man and his group were infringing upon Curly Dadan's area. That was not something that someone did lightly. Dadan was the one that ruled over all of the other mountain bandits on the island.

"Oi, ugly old man, you check in with Dadan-san, yet? Ann calls from across the bar. All attention was turned to Ann. Not that she minded all that much. If he was a bandit, he knew the etiquette of announcing their presence to the reigning bandit clan.

"Who the hell is that?!" He grunts out ignoring Makino for a minute to focus his eyes on the girl.

"Dadan-san is the one that controls all the mountain bandits on this island. If you haven't checked in with her, then you're trespassing." Ann announces as she steals the lettuce off of Shanks' plate. The encompassing quiet tells her that it is a firm no. Dadan would not be pleased. The penalty for such an action was death, the bandits seemed to know that, but they decided to ignored it.

"Like anyone could beat me anyway!" The man scoffs before going back to harassing Makino. Ann briefly thinks to herself. _Try saying that to Dadan's face_. The image of a very crushed and pummeled looking mountain bandit flashes in her mind, and she has to keep herself from snorting in laughter. That probably wouldn't help the situation. _Seee, Acee! I can be smart._

"I'm sorry. I just ran out of alcohol." The barmaid tells them. Ann turns her attention back to the topic at hand when she catches the sound of Makino's voice.

"These pirates seem to be drinking something…What is it, water?" The man was getting pissy with Makino and that didn't sit well with Ann. Gritting her teeth a warm breeze starts blowing around her hair. Confused, she looks around to see if she can find the source. But she comes up empty handed when she can see nothing out of the ordinary.

"No, what they're drinking is the last of it." Makino-san starts to shift in discomfort as the man narrows his eyes in anger.

"My apologies. Looks like we drank the whole place dry." Shanks interrupts the stare off while smiling. "Sorry! You can have this, if you'd like. It hasn't been opened yet." Red-hair offers as he holds up an unopen bottle of liquor.

The bandit takes the liquor and smashes it over Shanks head. Shocking everyone in the bar. The other bandits start laughing at the mess he made. It's their nasty and snide laughter that makes an grit her teeth. Her body feels warmer than usual and it confuses her enough to have her looking down to see what's up. It's then that she notices her nails were now more pointed and turning a black color. Ann would admit a lot of things confused her, but she remembered things like growing really sharp nails. This was so far out of her scope.

"Hey, you bastard! Who do you think I am? One bottle ain't even enough for a bedtime drink!" The man shouts, causing Ann to look up from her mystery nails to watch the argument between the two men.

Shanks looks down trodden, but it's about the wrong thing "The floor's all wet!" The bandit ignores him and pulls out his own wanted poster of 8,000,000 berry. "Look at this. There's an eight million berry bounty on my head. I've killed 59 people. They were all impudent like you. So be careful hereafter. But, since we're in the mountains and you're on the sea, I don't think we'll see each other again." The grungy bandit smirks and it irritates Ann. Causing her to clench her fists, this only causes her to wince as the sharp nails end up piercing the flesh of her palms. Shanks ignores the bandit and goes to start picking up the pieces of glass on the floor.

To be perfectly honest, with the network of bandits that Dadan had and the amount of trouble they gave High Town and the nobility, she is sure her foster parent had something in the 10-15 million range. That was why Garp was constantly threatening them with Impel Down level 4-5.

She was also sure that someone who was formerly a pirate on her father's crew was somewhere between the 600-900 million range. This guy was small change and everyone in the bar knew that, besides, perhaps, Luffy who was glaring at the man.

"Sorry about that, Makino-san. Do you have a rag?" Shanks quietly apologizes as he bends down to start picking up the glass off the floor.

"Oh, I'll do that!" Makino offers as she flutters her hands to stop Shanks from picking up the glass.

The bandit, angered, pulls out his sword and strikes the bar top causing a slice to appear. He succeeds in sending everything that was on the bar top on to the floor as well. Silence envelops the bar as everyone watches what will happen next. Ann can see that Red-Hair's crew is just waiting for a signal to attack. It's in the whispers of the way they move, and the way they watch their captain.

"Seems you like to clean. Then maybe you'll find this more fulfilling." Shanks and his crew all stay in place watching as the bandits leave. But they don't leave without a parting shot.

"Later, whimps!" The lead bandit yells out as he's half way out of the door. Ann rolls her eyes at the lame comment. Dadan could do way better.

"Captain-san, are you all right?" Makino asks as she leans down next to Shanks to make sure he isn't bleeding.

"Oh, no problem at all." Shanks holds up a hand to wave off the barmaid. The red-head starts laughing hysterically along with the rest of his crew.

"Talk about lame, Boss!"

"He got you good!"

"Why are you laughing?! That was so uncool! Why didn't you fight them?! You're not men or pirates if you laugh after something like that!" Luffy screams over the laughter. The crew quiets down as Shanks tries to talk to the kid.

"I can understand how you feel, but he only spilled some booze on me. It's nothing worth getting mad over." Luffy turns and runs away.

"Hey, wait Luffy!" Shanks grabs Luffy's arm and Ann's eyes widen as she see's the arm keep stretching.

"I've had it! I don't wanna be a coward like you!" Luffy shouts not even noticing that his arm is stretching beyond its normal length. Everyone spits out their beers and Shanks is confused.

"His arm stretches!"

"Don't tell me you…!" The crew shouts. Luffy at this point is freaking out as well.

"What's going on?!" He yells panicking. The pirates go over to the treasure chest they brought with them and open it.

"They're gone! What!?" They all yell at once as they realize that the treasure box that held the disgusting fruit is empty.

"The Gum-Gum Fruit! The Inu-Inu Zoan Type Fruit! The ones that we robbed from our enemy!" The guy with the green striped shirt and bandanna shouts as he holds open the empty chest.

"Luffy, don't tell me you ate a fruit like this!" The guy holds up a picture of the fruit that Ann watched Luffy eat.

"I-I did… It tasted so bad." Luffy admits. Shanks holds the boy by the arms and yells at him.

"The Gum-Gum Fruit is a hidden treasure of the sea known as a Devil Fruit! Eating it turns your body to rubber, and makes you lose the ability to swim for the rest of your life!" Shanks yells at the smaller boy.

"Eh?! No way!" Luffy shouts

"You dumbass!" Shanks shouts.

"Wait, if Luffy ate the Gum-Gum Fruit, where is the Inu-Inu Zoan Type Fruit!" Ann slowly tries to edge her way to the exit. Unfortunately, before she could, she is caught up in Shank's glare. Ann smiles sheepishly and rubs the back of her neck.

"Eh, consider it an investment in the chances I survive until I'm 30?" Ann laughs sheepishly. Shanks loses the glare and his eyes soften considerably. It makes her uncomfortable. His eyes then have a firm resolve in them as he ignores his crew and picks Ann up like an unruly pup from the back of her shirt.

All of her squawking is ignored, as well as Luffy's demands that Shanks not steal his only crew mate.

* * *

This is the project I was talking about posting. It may seem similar at the start as my other one (LASHS), but there are significant divergences in plot (like more stuff with the Yonko, Revolutionaries, and other Shichibukai, also the probable use of fan theories), and Ann develops differently as a character, the situations she encounters are much different. I probably won't update this as frequently as my other, but I never actually abandon Fanfiction, so it will get done one way or another. Anyway, if you want my estimated update times I post them on my profile. I also post my progress (word count) on all my stories every Saturday.


	2. Finding The Light Inside

Being dragged through the town as an unruly pup is really degrading. Ann thinks this to herself as she fruitlessly tries to struggle out of the pirates hold. As they walk to the docks she notices that Shanks is resolutely ignoring her cursing and threats. It just makes her deflate because she was not even being listened to, and she wasn't going to waste perfectly good insults on someone who couldn't care less. Huffing she crosses her arms and pouts.

As they approach the giant ship docked in the port she temporarily forgets her anger at the red-haired pirate. She can only look on in breathless wonder at how beautiful and big the boat is as they come closer and closer. Ann turns her gaze every which way hoping to take in all the details of the ship. From the cannons lining the front of the ship, to the rich reds of the flags, and the high-quality of the wood used for the floorboards. She had never seen something so gorgeous. Her perusal is cut short when they enter inside the ship and is carried all the way to a small room.

Ann is carelessly dropped on to a hammock as Shanks starts rummaging through the room on the ship. The room was small but held a bunch of pictures which Ann takes a second to glance over while she waits for the red-haired pirate. There was one of him and a guy with a red nose, and others with him and an older dude with a flower surrounding his head. Man, what weird people this guy knows! She's still peeved that he thinks he can boss her around, but she lets it be for the moment. Ann is more interested in what the captain is hunting for underneath one of the floorboards of his ship.

"Aha!" I knew I put this somewhere in here." Shanks starts talking again and Ann looks over to what he has in his hand. It looked like he was holding a badass whip. It was thick, corded, and looked like it would be extremely dangerous. Like it could kill if you got too rough with someone.

"What the hell is this," Ann asks as he hands over the whip to her. Shanks eyes gleam with mischief that has her excited and wary; because she always did like a challenge. But she's also nervous because she's never met anyone that would willingly give her anything, let alone a very expensive looking whip.

"This is the whip of Portgas D. Rogue, she retired it after she fell pregnant with you and your twin. Though I only knew about the boy, not the girl. You must have been quite the surprise. Though captain must have known something because he left this with me after he disbanded the crew." The wide genuine smile has something in her stomach clenching. It felt like when she had too much to eat, and then got hit in the stomach by Ace for stealing all his food off his plate. Shanks crouches in front of her and holds eye contact with her. She can see how his scars stretch across his eye and move with every gesture. She truly starts to wonder where he got such massive scars. She doesn't expect the two large hands on her upper arms to grab her attention.

"Listen up, Ann! It isn't impossible for you to succeed in living till your 30 or older. You have to get strong though, because that's the only way to fight back at the people who want to keep you down. While it seems that the world is against you, remember that the Roger Pirates will always look out for their captain's blood. But you got to get to the Grand Line for us to reach you. So, you're going to have to grow stronger, and even stronger after that! You're still alive and are still breathing. No one can take that away from you, Ann!" The man with the Red-Hair, she notices, has kind reassuring eyes, and a warm smile. Something that has never been directed toward her. Not even by her twin. Ann can feel tears build up behind her eyes. She throws herself out of the man's hold and tackles Shanks to the ground in a hug to prevent any embarrassing crying. The last thing she needed was Ace finding out and calling her a cry baby girl. The warm arms that wrap around her shoulders is also new, no adult ever willingly hugged her. Her twin was always the one that grabbed her hand or snuggled in close when they slept. The strong hand that comfortingly rubs her back has to be the best sort of kindness she's ever experienced.

"Easy, easy. It'll be alright. You got this. I know you do, you just need the confidence and drive to do it. You're already on the right path with Luffy, find a goal and stick to it with everything you have in you. Find a goal that you will die for, something that you keep reaching for, that way when you finally achieve it, it will be that much better! You'll be surprised at what you're able to achieve, Ann, if you just believe in yourself. Your parents were a force to be reckoned with, I have no doubt you'll inherit that ability to turn the world on its head!" Shanks still rubs her back reassuringly and Ann noses his cloak. Getting snot and tears all over it, though he didn't seem to mind all that much.

"You understand. You are a child of the Pirate King, Ann. Have no shame in that, despite what papers and people would have you believe, he was a man that had a dream and followed it until he found the truth of this world and died refusing to let the Government have the last laugh. The Government would never have you know the truth. But, it's in your blood to seek the truth and understand it in its entirety. Remember a D. always brings a storm with them." Shanks keeps talking and something in her is telling her the information is important. She should listen closely. Fortifying her emotions, she pulls her face back from the man's cloak and wipes her face with her arm.

"Why're you telling me all this?" Ann asks through a stuffy nose and blurry eyes. He gives her that mischievous grin once again and she thinks that she likes that smile the most on his face. It reminds her of the time she and Ace joined forces to make Dadan's life hell when she thought that she could punish them by separating them. She's sure that Dadan is still a bit scarred from that experience.

"Well, what's the fun in telling you that! That's for you to find out!" Shanks crosses his eyes and sticks his tongue out and Ann has to giggle at his silly behavior, because no yonko should be so carefree.

"See, that smile is all your mother. But that wild hair is 100% Captains. Though those freckles are Rogue's," Ann smiles as Shanks starts to poke at each one of her freckles with a finger. She feels something in her chest release at the gentle teasing. That there were people who didn't curse the day she was born was something new and novel. She liked it a lot. But she also didn't know how to handle such a discovery.

"Never let the world dictate how you live your life. The only people that matter are the ones that are at your back when you need them. That's the only way to be free in a world like ours." Shanks rubs her back once more and Ann nods in agreement. He's right, when the hell did she start to allow the opinions of shitty people of the world to influence her self-worth.

Ann breaks free of Shanks hold and stands up straight right in front of the man.

"Yosh, you want the dream that I would willingly die for, old man?" Ann asks as she puts her hands on her hips and a wide smile plastered across her face. Shanks smiles up at her from where he's sitting on the floor and moves his hat back, so he can look her in the eyes.

"I'll live, even when the world wants me to die! I was put here for a reason, I just have to find the reason. I'm going to grow strong enough to scream my father's name from the top of the Red Line and tell the entire world that I'm his kid. I am Gol D. Ann and I'll never have to lie about myself again! I'm going to find strong nakama with Luffy and we're going to go on amazing adventures! We'll sail the Grand Line! When I get strong enough I want a fight with you too, you got it old man? Winner pays for the booze!" Shanks eyes crinkle at the edges before he laughs hysterically, tears forming at the sides.

"Dahahahaha! That's some dream, Ann. Absolutely fitting of the daughter of the Pirate King, I think. Now, come on. I'm sure Luffy's still whining about me trying to steal his crew mate." Shanks rises from his place on the floor and starts to move toward the door but stops for a moment when he stares at a picture hung on the wall. Ann follows what he's looking at and notices a picture of her father and a really pretty strawberry blonde woman. They were both grinning at the camera. Her father's arms surrounded the woman and a pink flower was pinned in both their hair. It's the most normal picture she's ever seen of her father. So far, she had only seen his bounty poster, or him charging the marine forces with a sword raised and grinning maniacally.

Shanks takes the picture from the wall and opens the back of the frame. Taking out the photo he stares at it for a moment longer before smiling down at a confused Ann.

"You know, I have a lot of memories of Roger and Rogue, but I realize you never got the same experience. So, here take it as a memory." Ann carefully takes the photo of the two people she wondered about so often, always questioning why she was living with bandits. She would sometimes sit on the bench in the park and watch the children in Edge Town holding their parent's hands. Happily chattering about their day and the friends they made. They always seemed to have a smile on their face and shared a powerful bond with their parents.

Ann bites her lip and nods and carefully puts the photo in the waistband of her shorts along with wrapping the whip through one of her belt loops.

"Thank you, Shanks." It must be the sincerest sentence that's ever passed her lips. No one had given her hope like this. A large hand ruffles her hair and Ann can't find it in herself to scowl. But she does gain a mischievous smile and pounces on Shanks back.

"Hey, woah, woah, woah! What's the big idea Shrimp!?" Shanks asks as he balances himself with the new addition to his body. She was literally sticking to his back like a barnacle.

"I've decided it's too far a walk all the way back to town. Sheecheecheechee," Ann wraps her arms around his neck. The exasperated sigh tells her he is less than pleased at the current situation but would humor her for the time being.

"Think of it this way, Old Man. At least Makino-san will see you're good with kids." Ann teases him as he starts walking to the bar. The clearing of his throat tells her she's hit the nail on the head and she laughs even harder.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. See if I do anything nice for you again!" Shanks lamely threatens, there is no heat in his tone, and he seems almost fond. They spend the rest of the time poking fun at each other and feels like something an older brother would do to his little sister.

As soon as they are back in the bar she notices that most of the crew is passed out around the room. His first mate was looking on, just shaking his head at the entire scene, no doubt wondering how they were going to get all their crewmates back to the ship for the night. Now that she thinks about it, she's been in Foosha for most of the day now and the sun was already starting to set. She'd rather not traverse Mt. Colubo when it was dark. It was an entirely different environment at night. Biting her lip in consideration, she's unsure what to do. She'd only come here by whim. Ace would be worried about her if she stayed the night but she'd rather him worry than getting herself killed on the mountain.

"Ann, why don't you spend the night. I don't feel comfortable letting you wander the forest alone in the dark." Makino tells her as she cleans a glass behind the bar while Shanks drops her back down to the floor.

"I don't want to put you out though, Makino-san." Ann tells her as she walks over to the bar and takes a seat. Rubbing the back of her neck. She barely knew the woman, but she did seem nice enough and nothing was ringing any bells in her head.

"Nonsense, you can share a room with Luffy for a night. You are nakama, are you not?" The twinkling in her eyes tells her that she's teasing her. Ann huffs and rolls her eyes before dropping her chin on her folded hands.

"Fine, but the dork better not drool." Ann grumbles as she takes the glass of milk from Makino that she offers her. She doesn't notice the humorous gleam in the barmaid's eyes. Shanks takes a seat next to her and starts flirting with the green haired woman. Ann makes a grossed-out face before looking around for Luffy. Pouting when she can't find the kid she starts wandering around the bar. Noticing a staircase leading upstairs in the back of the room she starts up the steps. The hallway was narrow but not impossible to navigate. She sees a light on in one of the bedrooms and goes over to knock on the door.

"Oi, Luffy! You up here?" She calls out before opening the door. The room was small, with a child's bed and a desk and an empty bookcase. She enters the room when she sees Luffy practically strangling himself with one of his rubber limbs. Widening her eyes, she immediately goes to help unwind him from the knots he seems to have tied himself in at the moment.

"Man, you're gonna be really troublesome, aren't you?" Ann huffs as she finally untangles the kid from his own limbs. Sitting on her knees she looks at the kid who is leaning back on his forearms, grinning widely and laughing.

"You're the one that signed up, Shishishishi!" Narrowing her eyes, she makes a grab for the boy and gives him a good noogie.

"Hey, hey, hey! I'm the captain! You can't treat me like this!" Luffy shouts as he tries to slip her grip, but Ann is used to wiggly brothers.

"If I can still beat you in a fight, you can't be my true captain. I promised I join your crew, but now you gotta get stronger. As soon as you can beat me, I'll call you Captain. With the capital 'C' and everything. I refuse to be subordinate to a weak captain. I got big dreams. You understand that, kid. You need to be strong to help me follow those dreams. In turn I help you follow yours." Luffy quits his wiggling and looks at her seriously. It feels like the kid can read her soul.

"Un, I'll get stronger, and I'll get you to call me captain with a capital 'C' and everything! But you gotta tell me your name first!" His smile is brighter than the sun and her heart beats a bit easier.

"That's what I like to hear, little cap'. The name is Portgas D. Ann. Now let's get some sleep, I gotta get back to Ace tomorrow morning. He's probably really worried about me right now." Luffy looks confused and turns his head to the side.

"Ehh? Who's Ace?" Ann removes the whip from her belt along with the picture Shanks gave her, leaving them on the empty desk. She crawls onto the bed and lays out. Luffy follows her lead and removes his flip flops. He crawls up next to her and it feels sort of like when she and Ace cuddled after rough days in Gray Terminal or with the bandits.

"I haven't told you about Ace?" Ann raises an eyebrow and looks down at the boy next to her. Luffy shakes his head. Closing her eyes, she pulls up an image of her brother in her head.

"Ace is strong, but he's really mad at the world right now." Ann answers hesitantly. Her heart breaks a little at the thought of her twin having so much anger without her being able to do anything about it. She wouldn't dare tell him her dream or show him the picture of their parents. He would no doubt tear it to pieces, well maybe not their mother but definitely their father. But she knows that she will eventually have to face him.

"Is Ace stronger than Ann?" Snapping her eyes open she glares down at the kid.

"Never, no matter what he says we will always be equal. We push each other to the limit to get stronger so when we do leave this island people can't hurt us." Ann tells Luffy in a serious tone. Black eyes narrow and focus in on her again, and once again it feels like the kid can read everything about her. She wonders if he has the same power as she does.

"People want to hurt Ann?" Luffy asks in a light voice though there is an undetectable edge to it, she can tell that he is not pleased in the least with the thought.

"Yeah, not everyone likes my dad. But, I'm going to show them all. I deserve to live, no matter what they say. Even if Ace disagrees with me." Ann grits her teeth at Ace's words, she never knew they impacted her so hard until Shanks gave her hope. It would be a disgrace to the Gol D. and Portgas D. name if she allowed them to have her questioning her existence. It was her duty to be a troublemaker and she would live up to the name. The Government wanted to shut people up, but she's never been one to be stifled. But before she could do anything she needed to be stronger.

"Why would they want to hurt Ann because of her father?" Luffy asks innocently. Staring up at the ceiling and letting out a large breath.

"Because they think the kid will be the same as the parent," Ann places an arm behind her head as she thinks about how many times she's heard her father's name spit as a curse word. It caused her blood to boil every time it happened, but she had to push it down and keep it packed in a little box in the back of her mind.

"That's stupid, Ann is Ann. No one else." Luffy crosses his arms in disagreement. The older girl has to smile at his resolve.

"Damn straight, lil' cap." She ruffles his hair before shutting her eyes waiting for sleep.

* * *

Ann, of course, was right. When she found her way back to Mt. Colubo the next day, Ace was already standing outside the bandits' hut with a worried scowl on his face. Rolling her eyes, she prepares herself for a lecture that would end all lectures.

"Ann! Where the hell have you been? Do you know how irritating it is to sleep when I have no effing idea where you went off too?" Ace hisses as soon as she approaches the entrance of the hut. Ann gives Ace a sly smile while walking past him to change her clothes.

"Why, Ace! It sounds like you've been worried! Did you miss your big sister!" Ann stops on her way into the hut to pinch his cheeks and coo at him mockingly. Ace slaps her hands away and thumps her on the head in retaliation. Ann hisses at the bump already forming. Yeah, she did kind of deserve it for worrying him like that. He had never pulled a stunt like that with her and her reaction would have been ten times worse.

"Shut it, you stupid idiot! Now tell me where you went, and where you stayed the night. Do I need to beat up one of the bandits, or someone in Gray Terminal?" Ace asks grumpily crossing his arms and avoiding all eye contact because he knew that his sister could read his eyes like an open book.

"Pft, as if. I can take care of myself idiot. I wandered down to Foosha and met some real pirates, they were cool. Ate a Devil Fruit and joined a seven-year old's forming pirate crew." Ann announces this as if she hasn't just turned Ace's world upside down and inside out. Thinking about it, so she didn't leave anything vital out, other than meeting Shanks, she thinks that she's adequately covered her adventures of yesterday. Looking over her shoulder she notices that her brother's jaw is on the floor and his eyes are practically popping out of his head. That's what the little jerk gets for excluding her for the past five years with Sabo.

"WHAT THE HELL, ANN?!" Ace's shout wakes up Dadan. She hears the whole house shake as the large woman gets out of her bed, and stomps down the stairs.

"WILL YOU SHUT THE HELL UP YOU DAMNED BRATS! TAKE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE!" Dadan shouts from the open door. Ann rolls her eyes and shoves her pinky finger in her ear, the woman was so loud!

"Chill your tits, you old hag! I still need to change my clothes then I'll be out of your ratty, nasty hair." Dadan's face grows an unhealthy red color and strikes at her as fast as a cobra. She manages to get a hit on top of where the lump Ace gave her was. Ann holds the bump and winces in pain as another lump grows on top of the first.

"RESPECT YOUR ELDERS YOU SHITTY KID!" Ann's face turns an equally unhealthy red color when she starts to yell back at her.

"I WILL WHEN YOU DESERVE RESPECT YOU SHITTY BANDIT!" Dadan grits her teeth and gets in Ann's face.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SHITTY BANDIT, TRASH! Ann narrows her eyes and remembers Shanks fond smile and laughter. Her promise to the man to live when no one else wants her to. The heavy weight of the whip in her belt loops has her feet sticking in place as a reminder of who she was and who she would be, even if it killed her. It was the only thing that kept her from running away from the taunt. Every single time, in the past, she would take the insult as the truth and walk away in a morose temper. She wasn't going to put up with it anymore.

"YOU! YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHEN OTHER MOUNTAIN BANDITS INVADE DAWN ISLAND. WHAT KIND OF SHITTY BANDIT LEADER ARE YOU?!" Dadan pauses and pulls back from the fight to look at Ann. A considering look passes over her face. Perhaps questioning what made today different, and why she wasn't walking away in a temper. The silence is tense as they stare each other down. Waiting for the other to break. Ann feels something rise in her, it felt like determination, ambition, and being relentless. Dadan looks on a little longer, but she eventually breaks eye contact. Ann feels like she's done something life altering, but she can't put a name to it.

"Did you at least get a name, you horrible brat?" Dadan grunts as she leans her massive weight against the doorway. Blocking any entrance to the hut, and thus her clothes. Agitated, but not to the point of screaming anymore, Ann crosses her arms and huffs.

"I think it was Higuma or something. He invaded Makino-san's bar and wrecked her stuff. He was flaunting around a poster for 8 Million berry and was bragging about killing 59 people. I asked if he checked in with you and he said he didn't need to...That he could take you." Ann lets a small challenging smile curl at her lips. Dadan's eyes narrow as a flame of irritation burns brightly in her brown eyes. She knew the bastard would be hunted down. The question was; How good was he at using the mountains to his advantage? It was all a matter of time at this point.

"Like hell I'd let some shitty man take my territory," Dadan grunts and pushes away from the door. Probably to call together all the bandits to search for the idiot and his crew. Now that the path was unblocked Ann dashes inside to change her clothes. She pays no attention to Ace who follows behind her quietly. Once she has on a new shirt and shorts she sees that her brother has his back turned to her. Frowning she comes up behind him to poke him in the shoulder.

"Aren't you leaving now, don't you have a cry baby captain to take care of now? Just abandon me like the rest of the world does, I don't care!" Ace whips around and sends a punch straight at her face. Ann barely catches it in her hand and can see tears forming in his eyes that he doesn't even realize are there. Ann hardens her eyes and brings her other hand up to his face to flick him in the forehead, hard.

"You're an actual idiot sometimes, aren't you, twin?" Ann asks quietly as she tilts her head to the side. Despite her thoughts the previous evening, she can see how much he needs the information she gained. He needed it even more than she did at the time. Ace scrubs his eyes roughly, probably just realizing that he was crying.

"I would never leave you, you clueless fluff head." With Ann already grasping his hand, she pulls him through the house and outside, so they have privacy from any snooping bandits. They eventually stop at a secluded cliff edge with massive rocks they could sit on and watch the ocean. Ann tugs Ace down so they are lying next to each other and watching the nearly clear blue sky. They're quiet for a bit, just registering each other's presence. Ace is the first to break the quiet that surrounds them.

"Why?" Is the single question he asks, and it was the one she was hoping to avoid most.

"For all that we're alike, Ace, we are different too. Besides just gender, I have the gut feelings that Gramps told us to forget about, but it's just not something I can turn off, you know. When it wants me to know something it's like a rush of feelings are pushing me on to do something. Yesterday, when I walked into that bar something told me that I would find what I needed there." Ann turns her head to meet her brother's sad eyes. Her gut turns at the thought of her brother being truly upset with her. They fought like cats and dogs but there was never the true intention to hurt behind the actions. Ann moves her head back to the sky and squints as a breeze crashes through the outcropping of rocks, sending the cotton fluff on the weeds that covered the area to disperse into the air. Letting out a breath of air she tries to find it in herself to find the words she spoke to Shanks so easily. Shouldn't it be just as easy if not easier with her twin. The one person who's known her since birth, who has been at her side every time their father's name had been spit as a curse, or their existence damned. But she's seen the true self-hatred he bottles within himself.

"Let me ask you somethin', Ace? Do I deserve to live?" Ann asks, her voice tight and strained. The words feel like pure poison on her lips, because even asking Ace this question went so far against her dream that it almost physically pained her. She can feel her brother's intense focus on her face. Waiting for her to turn and meet his eyes. Well, he will be disappointed. The fact she had to ask this to her brother was torture. He was so sure that he shouldn't live that he forgot that she was there with him.

"Ann, quit being stupid, of course you should be alive!" Ace sits up and yells. Ann grits her teeth and sits up as well staring her brother straight in his eyes.

"Why can you tell me I'm being stupid, but I can't say the same to you! We were both born from the same mother and father! It's idiotic that I should be alive and not you! Make some sense once in a while, BAKA!" Ann screams at the top her lungs and lunges at her brother to start wrestling with him. This time it isn't the same playful fighting that they usually engaged in, it was an all-out brawl.

"ANSWER ME, ACE! TELL ME WHY YOU DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE!" Ann yells as both hands are locked in a struggle with Ace's, trying to wrestle her into submission. That was the thing that he always, always forgot. They would always be at the same strength, they were twins! They shared everything, but perhaps the same destiny.

"BECAUSE OUR SHITTY FATHER IS A TERRIBLE PERSON!" Ann is feeling actual genuine frustration and grits her teeth as she pushes him up against a rock. She's panting, and it feels like moving the earth itself as she forces him back. Shanks words echo in her head, " _You're still alive, and are still breathing. No one can take that away from you, Ann!_ " When she finally, finally gets him against the rocks she closes in on his face to make her look at him.

"Try again, Ace!" Ann demands as she struggles to keep her hold on him. Ace sneers and she hates that look so much more than his fake scowling face.

"BECAUSE THE WHOLE WORLD WANTS ME TO DIE!" Ace bares his teeth at her for making him talk about his feelings for once in his life, and Ann nods because that was the explanation she was expecting.

"Since when have we let the world dictate how we live, Ace?! What kind of bullshit is this? You're going to allow people who don't even know you tell you if you deserve to live?! Gramps is barely here, Dadan is an idiot, and doesn't even want to raise us! The only opinions that matter include YOURSELF, MINE, AND SABO'S. We are the only ones that really know you! Get it through your thick skull that no one else in this world matters other than the people who have your back!" Ann gives her brother one last shove against the rocks, before letting go and going back to where she was sitting previously.

Gritting her teeth, she pulls out her mother's whip and the picture of her parents from the waist of her shorts. The picture of them both smiling has her biting her lip. She can feel Ace coming up behind her and she tenses, she doesn't want the picture ruined if he attacks her back. Instead he stares over her shoulder at the picture.

"Where the _hell_ did you get that picture!" Ace shouts as he makes a grab for it, Ann panics. Her gut is telling her to dodge left, so she does and barely misses Ace's grasping hands. He continues to make a grab for the photo, but she dodges each attempt with her gut.

"Would you stay still, you idiot! I just want to see the picture!" Ann can feel his intentions though. There is nothing calm about them, and if he got his hands on this picture he would ruin it without second thought.

"Not until you chill! This is the only real picture I have of them, if you ruin this I will never forgive you for it! I didn't even want to show you this for this exact reason!" Ann yells as she jumps up to prevent a leg sweep from knocking her over. Ace pauses as if judging the truth in her words and he can tell she's serious. Pursing his lips, he stops attacking her. Crossing his arms, he tries to stare her down, so she will answer all his questions. Keeping a good distance away from him she tells him.

"I met one of Roger's cabin boys in Foosha yesterday. He's the Yonko, Red-Haired Shanks." Ace's eyes grow the size of dinner plates, before frowning a frown to end all frowns...Wait, that's a lot of frowns in one sentence...Ann is briefly distracted by her train of thought and is tackled by Ace. Ann curls her body around the photo. She doesn't notice that the air is getting progressively hotter, and that the nails on her hands were getting darker, sharper. She instinctively growls, swiping a hand at Ace. It catches him across the chest.

Hissing Ace pulls back to see that she got him pretty good and he was bleeding, but the edges had already been cauterized. The sight of the physical injury seems to ground his temper. Ann stays curled around the picture. Ace looks, actually looks, at his sister and it's then he notices the black, furry ears popping out of her head and the fluffy tail curled protectively around her waist. Her feet had turned into clawed feet. Her legs were covered in course fur just to the edge of her shorts. Ace was officially freaking the fuck out at the sight of his twin.

"Ann..." Ace asks carefully as he goes back to touch his sister. The growl she lets out instinctively has him back tracking. Something animal inside him has him whimpering in fear. Ann unfolds from her ball and turns her eyes on him and he can see motherfucking flames coming from them, and small pointed teeth were bared at him.

"You won't touch the picture. You understand that, Portgas D. Ace?" Ann growls as she slowly stalks toward him. He's reminded of the time he and Sabo saw the tiger king from a distance. He remembers the giant animal hunting one of the large snakes on the island. The snake tried to fight back but it was too late to strike back at the predator.

Ace is positive that he is the snake in this situation and she was the tiger king. Ace slowly puts his hands up in a non-threatening gesture.

"Ann, come on now, do you remember me? Ace, your twin?" Ann pauses, and tilts her head to the side. She's confused at her brother's sudden shift in attitude. Why was he speaking so softly and trying to back away from her.

She can hear her brother dryly gulp from across the field where he's standing.

"Of course, I do, you idiot. I've only spent the past 11 years with you." Ann answers like he's stupid. Well, if she was being honest, he was always kind of stupid.

"Ann, can you explain why you have fur and flames coming from your flipping eyes?!" Ace stares wide-eyed and cautious. Ann is confused and looks down to see most of her body covered in fur. Her heart feels like it briefly stops at the shock of seeing her body in such a state.

"NANI?!" Ann screams to the world. Moving her gaze to Ace to see him looking just as shocked and as scared as herself.

* * *

...Well this turned out _WAY_ more dramatic than I intended it to be originally, but at the same time it feels right for Ann and Ace's character? Does that make sense? Not that I feel that Ace is really all dramatic or anything, I honestly don't know where I'm going with this. Tell me what you think in the comments, if I should change anything. Or if the characterization feels odd/off base. Anyway I finished this a week early and this was supposed to be split into two chapters. But I thought if I have it all done, why not just post it now?

Thank you to all that of you that follow, favorite, and review this story. It lets me know if you like what I write or if I need to change something. Like I said I update my progress of my stories on my profile, along with expected update times on Saturdays.


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